Car shaker



June 1958 A. J: ROUBAL CAR'SHAKER Original Filed March 27, 1950 Unitfid tes Patent I CAR SHAKER Alexander J. Rouhal, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to Allis Chalmers Manufacturing Company, Milwaukee, Wis.

Continuation of application Serial No. 152,180, March 27, 1950. This application October 13, 1953, Serial No. 385,777

7 Claims. (Cl. 214-833) The present invention relates to improvements in mechanical devices for generating and transmitting periodic impulses to bodies to be vibrated. Its principal field of utility lies in the field of Vibrating containers to jar and agitate materials therein for the purpose of dislodging such materials, as in the emptying of hopper bottom type railway cars for coal and rock products, etc. This application is a continuation of my application Serial No. 152,180, filed March 27, 1950, and now abandoned.

More particularly, it concerns devices of the type in which a movable striker member is vibrated by rotation of an unbalanced rotor journaled therein at such a rate that vibration of the striker will occur due to inertia forces, and resides in the provision of a frame designed for direct contact with the body to be vibrated in which the striker is loosely mounted for limited freedom of motion, and in which anvil members are provided to take and transmit through the frame-to the body the direct impacts of the striker member, such frame also furnishing a mounting for a driving motor to rotate the unbalanced rotor.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved body protector which will take and transmit to the body the direct impact of a striker member, thus avoiding needless destruction of the body by direct impact and friction;

Another object is to provide a relatively stationary base for the drivingmotor to preserve the same from vibration of destructive character.

The following is a description of a practical embodii will result in an initial shear deflection under the weight ment of the invention and the best mode of making, constructing and using the invention having the above and still other objects and advantages which will be apparent from a reading of this specification with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a top view of a device embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the device of Fig. 1 shown partially in section; V a a Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view of one side of a modified embodiment of the invention; and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary section on the line IVIV of i .3.

In the useful embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 of thqlrawing a frame 1 is constructed of a pair of parallel side plates 2 and 3 joined by end plates 5 and 6 to form a generally rectangular frame. Shoes or foot pieces 7 and 8 are attached across the bottom of the frame, and

these may be provided with parallel stop flanges, such as i 9, 10, 11 and 12, spaced in the illustrated example to straddle the top edges of a body to be vibrated or jolted, such as a standard hopper bottom railway car 13. A top plate 14 connects the side plates 2 and 3 adjacent one end and serves as a motor mounting bracket on which a motor 16 is mounted. Any suitable resilient means such as a resilient support 17 is interposed between the motor and frame plate 14 for a reason explained hereinbelow. The frame 1 is completed by anvils 18 and 19 each having a pad (20 and 21) of materialhaving the property of absorbing certain vibrations, such as any one of a number of known materials available commercially, some of which are composed of rubber impregnated laminated fabric blocks or sheets. Anvils 18 and 19 are connected to frame 1 above shoes 7 and 8, and the anvil surfaces of anvils 18 and 19 are in substantially the same plane as shown in Fig. 2.

Connected with side plates 2 and 3 by a set of resilient members such as rubber spring members 22, 23, 24 and 25, each, preferably, consisting of metal end flanges joined by a block of rubber or other elastomer bonded to the end flanges, is a striker element in the form of a box frame 26 having hammer pads 27 and 28 at opposite ends, so located as to rest on the pads 20 and 21 of frame 1 and to place the striking surfaces of hammer pads 27 and 28 parallel to the anvil surfaces of anvils 18 and 19 in opposed striking relation as shownin Figs. 2 and 4. Journaled in the side plates of the box frame or striker element 26 is a rotatable shaft 30 carrying eccentric mass 31 and having one end extending outside the frame 26,

upon which end is mounted a pulley 32 or other suitable power transmitting device which may be connected, as by flexible belts 33, with the rotary shaft of motor 16. The striker element 26 is completed by any suitable known lifting connection such as eyes 34 for attachment of hoist cables 35 or the like.

The construction and action of suitable unbalanced weight vibrating mechanisms for devices of this character being well known, as for example in Lincoln U. S. Patent 2,292,327 and the like, there will be no need to compli cate the present disclosure by describing such a mechanism in detail. It will be understood that upon application of power to turn the shaft of motor 16 the shaft 30 will be brought up to a normal operating speed above the critical speed of resonance with the natural period of vibration of frame 26 on its resilient spring mounting andsthe unbalanced mass of the shaft will act to force the frame 26 to tend to gyrate about an axis slightly eccentricrto of shaft 30.

The resilient members 22, 23, 24 and 25, preferably of i rubber blocks between the sides of frame 26, and side' 1 plates 2 and 3, will be chosen for such'ch'aracteristicsj as of element 26 substantially greater thanthe diameter .of

the circle of gyration of the element at normal operating speed. These resilient members preferably willbe in stalled in such a manner as to be under sufiicient stress (with the striker pads 27 and 28 resting on the anvil pads 20 and21 and the rotor at rest) so that the normal action of the striker when running will not result in any reversal of stress on the resilient members. there being always a portion of the weight of the striker member acting downwardly through the springs on the anvil frame, an effect which will tend to prevent the frame 1, which is intended to be a car-protecting-frame',

from bouncing around excessively on the car sides.

The function of the frame 1 is to transmit impulses of the striker to the body to be vibrated, such as a railway car body, so that the car, or other body, may be, jolted to loosen or agitate its contents without being subjected on driving belts 33 while another may be to transmit lifting force from eyes 34 and frame 26 to frame 1 so that the whole device can be lifted as a unit, away from the body it is desired to vibrate. This lifting function Patented June 24, 1958 V the axis This will result in I 7 3 may, of course, be eliminated by using lifting eyes 44 on frame 1 instead of eyes 34 a frame 26. Preferably, however, belt tension will be maintained by a tensioning spring 36 substantial1y aligned with the belt drive, as shown in the drawing. Q

In a modified form ofthe device, illustrated in Figs. 3

and 4, resilient members 22, 2 3, 24 and 25 may be elimshown) on frame 126 (corresponding to eyes 340i Figs. 1 and 2),;in which case the lifting force will be trans-,'

mitted through normally noncontacting members such as lugs 140 and flanges 141 on the frames 12,6 and 1&1, respectively, or by using other lifting eyes (not shown) on the frame 101, in which case the lugs 140 and flanges 141 may be dispensed with. In this embodiment of the invention the spring 136 will be one resilient connection betweentthe frames 126 and 101 while the belts and motor mounting (not shown in Figs. 3 and 4) will constitute another, these resilient connections acting in opposition to keep the striker frame 126 centered in protecting frame 101. If lugs 140 and flanges 141 are used, the maximum vertical clearance between them should be substantially greater than the diameter of the normal'circle of gyration of striker frame 126. t L 1 It will, of course,be desirable to avoid excessive jarring and movement of motor 16, and this is" the function of resilient mounting part 17 which may, by known design considerations, be chosen for suitable known characteristics which will permit absorption without transmission to themotor of most of the movement of the frame 1 (or 101) in operation so that the motor 16 will, in use,

remain virtually stationary and free from jarringlforces of destructive intensity.

The specific physical embodiments of the invention illustrated anddescribed herein'are'by way of example,'

and it will be understood that the invention is intended to include such modifications and equivalents as' 'rnay occur to persons skilled in' the art to which it appertains, withinthe scope of the appended claims;

It is claimed and desired to secure by Letters Patent:

l.In a car shaker of the type described: an anvil frame comprising a pair'of inverted channel members rigidly connected in laterally spaced, parallel relation by a pair of parallel side plate members arranged perpening impulses, said rotor means being positioned for rotation on an axis parallel to the striking surfaces of said hammer and anvil portions; motor means drivingly connected with said rotor means; resilient means independent of said striker element for supporting said motor means on said frame, and resilient; buffer pads disposed between said hammer portions and said anvil portions for transmitting said car shaking impulses therebetween.

3. A car shaking device comprising in combination: a car width spanning, car protecting frame having shoes adjacent its opposite ends adapted to rest upon the top flanges of a hopper bottom type railway car body to be vibrated, said frame having anvil portions on said shoes; a rigid striker element having hammer portions spaced equivalently to said anvil portions of said frame; resilient means interconnecting said car protecting frame and said striker element in a manner to locate said hammer portions in striking relation to Said anvil, portions; unbalanced rotor means journaled in said striker element for producing car shaking impulses, said rotor means being positioned for rotation on an axis substantially parallel to the striking surfaces of said hammer and anvil portions; a motor resiliently mounted on said frame independently of said striker element and having a rotary shaft; power transmission means drivingly interconnech ing said shaft and said unbalanced rotor means, and resilient buffer pads disposed between said hammer portions and said anvil portions for transmitting said car shaking impulses therebetween.

4. In a car shaking device, the combination of: a frame having. means adapted to position said frame upon the top flanges of a railway car body to be vibrated, said frame having spaced anvil portions rigidly attached thereto, said anvil portions presenting surfaces lying substantially in a common plane; a rigid striker element'resiliently mounted on said frame and having spaced striking portions presenting surfaces extending parallel to said anvil surfaces in opposed striking relation thereto; an unbalanced rotor journaled in said striker element for producing car shaking impulses; a motor resiliently mounted on said frame; and power transmission means connecting said motor to said rotor for rotating said rotor to cause said striking surfaces of said striker element to strike dicular to, and spaced axially of, said channel members; i

a rigid striker element resiliently mounted between said side plate members, and having contact portions in striking relation to the uppermost surfaces of said inverted channel members, said striker element carryingan unbalanced rotor journaled therein for rotation on an axis parallel to the plane of said contact portions; an electric motor resiliently mounted on said anvil frame; and flexible power transmission means connecting said motor to said rotor in driving relation; 7

2. A car shaking device comprising in combination: a car width spanning, car protecting frame having shoes adjacent its opposite ends adapted to rest upon the top flanges of a hopper bottom railway car body to be vibrated, said frame having anvil portions over said shoes; a rigid striker'element having hammer portions spaced equivalently to said anvil portions of said protecting frame; resilient means interconnecting said protecting frame and said striker element in a manner to locate said striker element with said hammer portions in striking relationto said anvil portions; unbalanced rotor means journaledin said striker element for producing car shaksaid surfaces of said anvil portions for transmitting said car shaking impulses therebetween.

5. In acar shaking device, the combination of: a frame having means adapted to position said frame upon the top flanges of a railway car to be vibrated, said frame having spaced anvil portions rigidly attached thereto, said anvil portions presenting surfaces lying substantially in a common plane; a striker element having spaced striking portions presenting surfaces extending parallel to said anvil surfaces in opposed striking relation thereto, said striker element positioned on said frame with said striking surfaces in striking relation to said anvil surfaces of said frame;,an unbalanced rotor journaled in said striker element; a motor resiliently mounted on said frame; power transmission means connecting said motor to said rotor for rotating said rotor to cause said striking sur faces of said striker element periodically to strike said anvil surfaces of said anvil portions.

6. In a device for applying periodic impulses to a railroad car body to be vibrated, the combination of :a frame adapted to rest on said body, said frame having anvil portions thereon; resilient buffer pads fastened to'said anvil portions; a striker element; resilient means positioning said striker member in registering relation with said buffer pads; unbalanced rotor means journaled in said striker element for producing periodic impulses; and driving motor means connected with said rotor for rotating said rotor to cause said striker element periodically to strike said buffer pads of said anvil portions to produce periodic impulses, said buffer pads, transmitting said periodic impulses to said body to'be vibrated.

7. A car shaking device comprising a car width span- 5 ning and car protecting frame having shoes adjacent its opposite ends adapted to rest upon the top flanges of a railroad car body to be vibrated and having anvil portions on said frame over said shoes, said anvil portions being spaced from one another and presenting anvil surfaces in substantially the same plane; a rigid striker element having hammer portions, said hammer portions presenting striking surfaces extending parallel to said anvil surfaces in opposed striking relation thereto; resilient bufi'er pads fastened to said anvil surfaces; an unbalanced rotor journaled in said striker element and a motor resiliently mounted on said frame and drivingly connected to said rotor for rotating said rotor to cause said striker element periodically to strike said butter pads of said anvil portions to transmit said periodic impulses from said striker element to said car body.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,879,923 Deister Sept. 27, 1932 1,908,104 Bell May 9, 1933 2,160,462 Schieferstein May 30, 1939 2,447,712 Nathan Aug. 24, 1948 2,471,849 Wallace May 31, 1949 2,504,789 Bankauf et al. Apr. 18, 1950 2,641,434 Henshaw June 9, 1953 

